A/N: sorry I've been MIA.

Chapter 12: Toxic

May 2021, The Engagement Party

We're all woken up by the sound of an annoying buzzer going off at 11am. It's Esme and Carlisle. They're here to revive us with coffee and bagels. The good doctor Carlisle feeds us the maximum amount of Tylenol one can take before overdosing and slowly we come back to life.

I've missed them both so much and they shower me in hugs. We spend the rest of day slowly getting ready and watching television until it's time to go to the restaurant.

The Cullens party in style so we're going to some pretentious Italian restaurant tonight and we're all dressed impeccably. There's so many of us and what's old money without drama? So of course the tables are split up with this in mind. We don't need some sort of scene ruining the special night.

Jasper's parents, Peter and Charlotte are old southern money but very polite. I don't know them that well but I already approve and don't mind that they're at the table with all of us. Emmett is sitting with us as well. But I can't say the same about Edward's girlfriend. Irina is beautiful but she's kind of snobby and clingy. Alice was not lying when she described her as slightly insufferable. I'm polite though because she is Edward's girlfriend after all.

The night seems to be going smoothly so far until Irina suddenly announces that she's leaving. Edward chases after her and we all look at each other confused as fuck. Shit. Seriously? It's Alice and Jasper's day and Irina wants to make a scene? I can see my best friend fuming in her seat. Jasper is trying to comfort her and I reach for Alice's hand. Ouch. She's got a death grip on me trying to retain some semblance of calm. She doesn't want to go bridezilla in front of everyone. We can already hear the extended family whispering about how uncivilized Edward's girlfriend is. She doesn't come from money like us and I wonder if tonight just brought out the worst in her. Insecurity can make people act irrational.

Five minutes later Edward comes back in the restaurant, slightly wet from the rain. I guess it started raining and I really try to stifle my laugh but it's so dramatic. Alice catches my drift and let's out a defeated chuckle as well.

"Why can't we do anything normal? Oh my god we're all so dramatic. This is something straight out of a movie. Is someone going to yell 'CUT'? Why is it raining now of all times?", I say to the table.

Emmett let's out a boisterous laugh and says "damn B. I forget how much of a riot you are."

Jasper gives me a smile and nods at me. It's a silent thank you for changing the mood. Alice is visibly relaxed again. She just needs a bit of a reminder to shrug shit off. The best cure for trauma is humor.

Edward takes his seat next to me and I use a napkin to try and help dab some of the rain away from his face. Once he's relatively dry he refills our wine glasses and we all drain the. We're all good now.

Alice and Jasper get up to make their rounds at the various tables. They have to thank their snobby family members for coming. Emmett goes to hang out with his own parents for a bit. Carlisle, Esme, Peter, and Charlotte go around thanking everyone for their support as well. It's just me and Edward at the table now.

"So. What happened?", I ask him now that there's privacy.

"She kept saying I was ignoring her. I'm here for Alice and Jasper. This is for family. She's been like this for awhile. She gets mad anytime my attention isn't always focused on her or when I choose to hang out with Alice and Jasper on my own when she's busy. It's confusing. I don't know. I told her we needed to reevaluate things. It was enough you know? I kind of wish I did it before the engagement party."

I really don't know what to say in response and my word vomit gets the best of me.

"At least it was before the photos."

Edward playfully rolls his eyes at my comment before laughing. It is a good point.

We change the topic and just gossip about how we can't wait to change venues once this is over and suddenly it's like a dam has broken lose. Again I have word vomit. Edward is mid sip of his wine when I say,

"So...should we finally address the elephant in the room?"

Edward chokes on his wine and I awkwardly pat his back. Oops.

"Yeah about that, everyone knows." He gives me a sheepish look as he tells me this.

WHAT THE FUCK. Why am I just hearing about this now and why have I not been confronted?

"You bitch! You broke?! How? When? No, Wait. WHY?!", I whisper harshly.

"I meant to tell you. Seriously I was planning to as soon as we were alone. It was like 3 months ago. Emmett came to visit and he somehow convinced us to play hot ones. You know that game where you ask questions while progressively eating hotter and hotter wings? It's a death sentence. Anyways, I got to the last round when he asked me: 'what's the most scandalous thing you've ever done?'. Mind you, I was also drunk so I just spilled. Sorry."

I'm horrified. Seriously horrified. I need more answers.

"What did you say exactly Edward? You know, in case Alice decides to spring this on me."

"I said 'I had sex with Bella on the floor the summer that I left for college'. That's it. They only think it was once. Youthful experimentation and all."

"And how did they all respond?"

"Emmett laughed, Jasper pretended to be shocked, and Alice said 'seriously?' But nobody was mad. They kind of found it funny and we all never brought it up again afterwards"

"So you're telling me you exposed this watergate scandal? Shit. I mean I thought this was gonna be one of those things that we announce at one of our funerals as a joke. You bitch. You broke. Well as long as nobody is mad. Plus they think it was one time. They don't need to know that I fucked your brains out for a summer straight".

"That you did Bella.", Edward responds with a smirk.

I just drink like a fish after. Instead of having our own little after party we all decide to call it a night. After all the drama and dealing with extended family we just want rest now.